djwudi's reviews
1084 reviews

A Contest of Principles by Greg Cox

4.0

This one was a particularly interesting and on-the-nose bit of "exploring today's issues through SF". Published in 2020 (and so, assumedly, written in 2019), the Enterprise is called into to observe the voting process for a planet having it's first democratic elections. The contest is between a hardline conservative near-fascist military general whose followers use intimidation and assault, and a liberal reformist challenger who (minor spoiler) eventually steps down after a controversy and turns their candidacy over to a younger candidate. There's a separate, more standard Trek adventure where Spock has to try to rescue McCoy and Chapel from other planets in the system, but reading the primary political plot just over a week before our election (between a hardline conservative fascist and a more liberal challenger who took over from the prior candidate) was an interesting experience. I can only hope we handle our election as successfully as this fictional planet does.

Clarkesworld Magazine, Issue 217 by Neil Clarke

3.0

Favorites this month were “The Buried People” by Nigel Brown, “The Children of Flame” by Fiona Moore, “Fractal Karma” by Arula Ratnakar, and “Midnight Patron” by Mike Robinson.

To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis

4.0

A really funny time travel story, as historians attempt to prevent the unraveling of the universe after a seemingly impossible accident. Romance, confusion, rare goldfish, a remarkably ugly Macguffin, and a lot of laughs, to say nothing of the dog.

Star Trek: Picard: No Man's Land: The Script of the Thrilling Original Audio Drama by Mike Johnson, Kirsten Beyer

3.0

Somehow I missed the bit in the blurb telling me this was a script for an audio play, so that was a bit of a surprise, though not a bad one. Short and quick, this follows Seven and Raffi just after season one of Picard as they deal with saving artifacts and a senile historian from a Romulan…though it’s really more about the first steps of their relationship. Fun to read, and I’m somewhat tempted to find the audio production to see how some of the more visual elements of the script translate.

Agents of Influence by Dayton Ward

3.0

A trio of Federation spies must escape the Klingon empire after being uncovered, and Kirk and company are brought in to assist. An enjoyable fifth-year TOS adventure.

Failure to Launch: A Tour of Ill-Fated Futures by Kel Mcdonald

4.0

Really good anthology of short comics about historical moments, ideas, and efforts that were unsuccessful. I’d forgotten the premise between the time I ordered this one and when it arrived, so it was a peasant surprise to discover it was all non-fiction, and while a couple of the stories I’d heard of before, much of these little tidbits of history were new to me.

Uncanny Magazine Issue 60: September/October 2024 by Lynne M. Thomas, Betsy Aoki, Monte Lin, Michael Damian Thomas

3.0

This issue’s standouts were “The 6% Squeeze” by Eddie Robson, “A Stranger Knocks” by Tananarive Due, “¡Sangronas! Un Lista de Terror” by M. M. Olivas, and “A Menu of First Favorite Meals” by Jo Miles”.

Clarkesworld Magazine Issue 216 by Neil Clarke

3.0

“The Music Must Always Play” by Marissa Lingen was my favorite for this month.

What Fresh Hell Is This?: Perimenopause, Menopause, Other Indignities, and You by Heather Corinna

4.0

While I wasn’t born with a uterus, roughly half of the people I know and encounter throughout my life were (including my wife, who handed this book to me after she read it), and as most of the ones I’m most familiar with are within a few years of my age (51 as of this moment), this seemed like good info to have. The book is great; very readable and often quite funny, with a wealth of information. I certainly had no idea how much research into menopause has only been done in the past couple decades; I’d guess that even people who think they know what’s up are likely to find something new. This is an excellent, informative, and likely quite validating resource for anyone with a uterus who is approaching or experiencing menopause, who is planning on yeeting their uterus and facing sudden menopause, or who never had a uterus but values understanding (as much as possible) what those who do are going through.

Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett

4.0

Shakespeare, more or less, by way of Pratchett’s Discworld, and quite a lot of fun. Particularly enjoyed the recognition of the power of the word, and how it can bend history out of joint if used unscrupulously.